by Rich Cunningham

In the mid-1960's, there was a film released that is today considered one of the major films of all time, and one of the last big screen spectacles ever to be made. The name of the film was "Dr. Zhivago", and it starred, among others, Rod Steiger, Julie Christie, and Omar Sharif. Omar Sharif portrayed the title character, and it is one of the most memorable screen roles ever put on film. He played the character with a style and sophistication and class that has set him apart from the other actors of his day. It is this sophistication and class the helps make this program we will be looking at a unique gaming experience.

The program under review today is called "Bridge Deluxe II with Omar Sharif", and is a product from Interplay Productions. In it, Mr. Sharif guides you through all the intimacies of Bridge from his home in Paris (the atmosphere of this game has a distinct Parisian atmosphere). I will be honest with all of you reading this, and admit that until I picked up this program, I never played a rubber of Bridge in my life (and I may never play another). But I use this revelation as an example of how well this program can help introduce newcomers to this card game, and help experienced users brush up on their skills. This program is very good at introducing the game of Bridge.

This version is an updated version of the program "Omar Sharif on Bridge". According to Jim Veevaert, marketing manager for Interplay, "This version is completely redesigned and vastly improved for the original......we worked with some of the top Bridge players in the world to create this in-depth game for both the beginner and advanced player". Using advanced algorithms to enhance the artificial intelligence, along with full screen video tutorials that incorporate video and speech, and the presence of Mr. Sharif from his home in Paris make this a true experience to behold. It contains a wide range of options that allow the users of any skill level to learn and enhance their skills. It is this wide range that makes this program educational as well as fun. ( I considered reviewing this as an educational product, but it is more of a game, even with all the learning that takes place within the game play). It is also possible to hook up 4 players together and play over a network.

In a setting that is very similar to computerized chess games, the player has the option of setting up practice hands with specific game situations in mind. It is also possible to have the computer toss situations that can occur during regular game play to a player and allow them to hone their skills. A novice level is available to help newcomers understand the strategies without interrupting game flow.

There are over 15 playing options available to be used, including the Stayman Convention, Take-out Doubles, and Jacoby Transfers. There are also strategies to be practiced, including forced slam bids, while using the take-back and review option that allow players to replay situations over and over to practice their skills. There is an excellent on-disk tutorial, again using all the multimedia bells and whistles, that takes a player step-by-step through various situations. There are also excellent on disk reference materials to aid the in the enjoyment of the program. They include an extensive guide to bidding (including strategies), a how-to guide for scoring rubbers, an easily understood glossary, and quick reference guides for those of us who can't wait to get started. But a word to the wise: take the time to study the well written users manual. It contains a wealth of information, and should be read cover to cover.

The program installs from a DOS prompt, and runs in DOS. That I find very disappointing. I wonder why this new version was not written to take advantage of the multimedia enhancements of Windows 95. I installed the system on a system that includes Windows 95, an 83mhz Pentium Overdrive processor, 36mb of ram, and an #9FX 531 local bus video card. To put it bluntly, the display was poor. The video was choppy and slow. In the full screen videos, it was not unusual to have a single card split into several small parts and spread over the screen. It was very frustrating to follow game play in this manner. Aside from this aggravation, the program was very good.

I learned that Bridge, while a confusing game from the outside, is actually a very strategic and mentally stimulating game once one gets into it. The presence of Mr. Sharif gave the program an air of sophistication that was very welcome, and enjoyable. If you are a bridge player, casual or dyed-in-the-wool, or just wanting to learn the game, then this program is a must for you. You won't be sorry.